Eccentric driving mechanism



R. A. WATKINS.

ECCENTR'IC DRIVING MECHANISM.

APPLICATEON FILED OCT 14,1920- 1,413,815,] Patented pr.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR. Roy/i. WA mums ATTORNEY.

R. A. WATKINS.

ECCENTRIC DHl-VING MECHANISM.

4 APPLICATION FILED OCT 14.1920.

1,413,815. Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

I 2 ETS-SHL w a, I!

3? U/ 5 60 5e is INVENTOR. f1? 0 YA. WA Tic/Jars ATTORNEY.

have invented a new and useful Driving Mechanism, of which the followmg -BOY WATKINS, OF CLARINDA, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO GLARINDA LAWN MOWER COMPANY, OF CLARINDA, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA.

nccnnrnrc narvme MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Box A. WATKINS, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Clarinda, Page Count Iowa, ccentrlc is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved driving mechanism especially designed for use on power washing machines.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for transforming continuous Fotary into oscillatory rotarymotion. a

A further object of this invention is to provide means for transmitting power from a continuously rotating horizontal driving shaft to a vertical follower to be alternately.

rotated in opposite directions, through the v 20 use of an eccentric, pitman, rack and pinion.

A further object of this invention is to provide a driving mechanism for power washing machines which shallcombine simplicity of construction with ease and Specification'of Letterslatent. Patented Ag 1922 Application filed October 14, 1920. Serial No. 416,970.

17, 18 are secured to the top of the movable cover member 12,'as by bolts 19, extend upwardly and outwardly beyond the margin of said cover member, and have bearings at their opposite ends on journals '20 projecting laterally from the bracket 15 and housing 16. Thus-a pivotal connection is providher 11, and preferably is cast integrally with the base plate 13. A prime mover, such as, an electric motor 22, is provided and is adapted to rest loosely on the bracket 21 and'to supply power for driving the shaft 14. The motor shaft 23 has formed thereon or is suitably connected tov a worm shaft 24 in axial alinement, to which is secured a worm or 25 quietness in operation, and is adapted for ready and quick application to a wash ng" machine.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement .and crnnbinationv of. elements hereinafter set forth, pointeg out in my claims and illustrated by the cco'm'panying drawing, in which l a Figure 1 is a plan, partly in section,'il1us- 85 trating a portion of. a washing machine equipped with my improved driving mechanisni. Figure 2 is a vertical section on the indicated line 2-2 of Fignre'l. 'Fi m3 is C a vertical section-on the-line o Figure 1. Figure 4 is a cross-section on the line 4-4 spiral gear 25 located in-the lower part of the housing'16 and meshing with a worm gear 26 insaid housing fixed to the driving shaft 14. The housing 16 is provided with a cover 27 for convenience in assembling, repairing and lubricating the parts. The worm-shaft 24 is journaled in the housing 16 in a slightly inclined positionand prefer; ably is provided at its endwith' a thrust bearing consisting-of spaced" hardened ,"or chilled disks 28, 29 between which a numberof bearing balls'30 are mounted.

vThe motor shaft 23 preferably is not c0n-. nected directly and rigidly to the worm shaft 24 but flexible coupling means is provided to lessen the strain on the motor. A disk of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a cross-section on the line-5--5 of Figure 4'.

In" the construction of the mechanism as shown the numeral-.10 designates a'suitable 45 support such as a washing machine tub, having a fixed cover ;member 11 and a mov'- .able cover member 12 adapted to overlie the I major portion of the top of the tub. A suporting plate 13 is mounted on and suitably 5'0 fixed-to the fixed cover member 11. A driving shaft 14 is arranged in a horizontal plane above the plate 13 and is journaled in bearings carried by or a part of a bracket 15 and a gear housing 16 formed inte ally" on and 55 and rising from sa d plate.j' H

ge members .disk 31 is-pro'vided with diametrically at ranged pins 35 projecting through holes in the washer-34, and the disk 32 is provided with diametrically arra d.pins' 36, staggered relative to the pins 35, and a1so-projecting through said washer." ThllSJIlOtlOIl is transmitted from the shaft 23 to the shaft.

24 bet some yielding is permitted under excessive strain, because ofthe partially flexible nature of the washer 34.

A sleeve 37 is loosely mounted on the driving shaft 14 between the bearings thereof formedas a clutch member 40, and a coacting clutch member 41 is feathered to the shaft 14 and adapted to engage the clutch member 40 at times to efi'ect rotary movement of the sleeve and its eccentric. A shifter stem 42 is vertically journaled in the bracket 15 above the shaft 14 and has at its upper end a hand wheel 43 or other suitable means for turning it manually. On the lower end of the shifter stem 42 is a'disk 44 having a downwardly projecting off-center pin 45 entering a peripheral groove 46 in the sliding clutch member 41. The oft'center pin 45 engaging in the groove 46 is designed to effect sliding movement of the clutch member 41 into or out of engagement with the clutchmember 40 upon suitable rotary movement of the stem 42. I

Secured to the central portion of the top of the movable cover member 12 is a substantially circular housing 47, and a dolly post 48- is arranged for rotary oscillation in said housing and, passes through the said cover member. A dolly shaft 49 is formed angular in cross-section and is mounted through the post 48 and adapted for sliding movement relative to and for rotary oscillation with said post. The dolly shaft carries at its lower end a suitable dolly or other agitator, not shown. A pinion 50 is fixed to the dolly post 48 within the housing 47 and projects from one side of said housing. A rack 51 is slidably mounted adjacent the housing 47 and meshes with the pinion 50. The rack may be confined in a long narrow housing 52 fixed to the cover member 12 and communicating at one point with the housing 47. In this instance, the housings 47 and 52 are formed integrally and communicate for a short distance to ermit intermeshing of the rack and pinion. The housing 52 is in alinement with and extends to the housing 39, and at its outer end is formed with an. arcuate portion 53 partially embracing and adapted for movement through an are about the arcuate outer portion of said housing 39, during movement of the cover member 12'on its hinges. A pitman 54 is pivotally connected, by a pin 55, to the rack 51 and traverses thev housing 52 and isv pivotally connected at its opposite end to an eccentric strap 56,

by means of a pin 57, or other suitable means. The eccentric strap 56 embraces the eccentric disk 38 and said members preferably are grooved on their contacting faces to form a raceway for a series of bearing balls 58. The eccentric disk moves the strap 56 through an orbit, causing reciprocation of the pitma n 54 and rack '51 and rotary oscillation of the pinion 50, dolly post and dolly devices. This operation is very quiet and easy as there are few moving parts and little friction.

The eccentric devices dip into lubricating oil contained in a trough 59 formed in the bottom of the housing 39, and the housing 16 also may be provided with lubricant for the gears 25, 26.

This provides a simple and inexpensive driving mechanism in which there are comparatively few parts to get out of order or i a web 64 or housing partially enclosing the clutch members 40, 41 and the shifting disk and pin.

I claim as my invention.

1. In a driving mechanism for washing machines having fixed and movable cover members, a driving shaft journaled on the fixed cover member, a housing on said fixed cover member partially enclosing said driving shaft and having its outer wall concentric therewith, hinge connections between said movableand fixed cover members coaxial with said shaft, a dolly device mounted for rotary oscillation on said movable cover member, operative connections between said driving shaft and dolly shaft, and a housing enclosing said dolly shaft and operative connections and having an end portion-concentric with and adapted to articulate about the arcuate portion of the first housing when the movable cover member is turned through an arc.

2. In a washing machine having a fixed and a movable cover member hingedly con: nected,.a housing secured to said fixed cover:

14, 1920, Serial member and having an outer wall formedon an are, a housing secured to said movable cover member and having an end portion concentric with and adaptedto articulate about the arcuate portion of the first housing when the movable cover member is turned through an arc, and driving connections within said housings. I

3. A driving me'chanismfor power,washing machines formed with fixed and mov-- able cover members, comprising a driving shaft journaled on said fixed cover member, a sleeve loosely mounted, on said shaft and formed with an eccentric, a housing'inounted on said fixed cover member partially enclosing said sleeve and eccentric, the 'outer portion of said housing being formed .on an arc concentric With said shaft, hinge con-- nections between said movable and fixed cover members coaxial with said shaft a dolly device mounted for rotary oscillation on said movable cover member, a pinion secured to said dolly device, operative connec- V tions between said eccentric and pinion, a

housing enclosin% said pinion and operative connections and aving an end portion concentric with and adapted to articulate about the arcuate portion of the first housing when the movable cover member is turned through an arc, and means for clutching said sleeve to said shaft. 7

Si ned at Clarinda, in the countyof Page and tate of Iowa this 26th day of September, 1920. i

ROY A. WATKINS. 

